Conventionally, there is known a disposable diaper having: a front waistline region; a rear waistline region; a crotch region; a pair of leg hole openings; an absorber running across the crotch region and extending to the front waistline region and rear waistline region; and leg stretching units stretching in a product longitudinal direction and arranged along the leg hole openings. The leg stretching units are arranged only near the leg hole openings and not in the entire region of the disposable diaper in longitudinal direction.
In Patent Literature 1, a method of manufacturing a disposable diaper in which the leg stretching units are arranged only near the leg hole openings is disclosed. According to the method of manufacturing the disposable diaper of Patent Literature 1, a first web configuring either one of the topsheet and the backsheet of the disposable diaper is conveyed in a continuous state, and an adhesive for pasting elastic members is applied near the leg hole openings of the first web (the portion where the leg stretching units are provided). The elastic members configuring the leg stretching units are elongated in the product longitudinal direction in a continuous state, and the elastic members in the elongated state are arranged on the first web. Subsequently, a second web configuring the other one of the topsheet and the backsheet is pasted on the first web and the elastic members.
In this way, a continuous body of continuous first web, second web, and elastic members arranged between the two webs is manufactured. Next, the continuous body is cut along the product widthwise direction in each of individual product lengths. As a result, the elastic members in the elongated state are constricted in the product longitudinal direction, and only the portion that is pasted near the leg hole openings by the adhesive remains. Thus, the leg stretching units can be provided only near the leg hole openings.